Newsletter Fall 2013

The Irrigation Chronicle
Irrigation History Museum
Fall 2013 - Volume 2, Issue 2
Sprinkler Irrigation / Irrigation
Six Editions from 1955 to Present
2nd Edition - 1959
3rd Edition - 1969
1st Edition - 1955
6th Edition - 2011
4th Edition - 1975
5th Edition - 1983
Go to page 7 for more information.
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T h e I r ri ga t i o n C h r o n i c le
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Irrigation Manufacturer
Kifco / Ag-Rain
Want to know more?
Water-Winch Prototype
1966
Going to a field demonstration.
1966
First Location
1965
L.R. Nelson Prototype
Prototype of Water-Wheel
1964
1982
Did you know?
Fred Kruse started Kruse Fertilizer Service in 1960 and was incorporated as
a retail fertilizer business in Mason County, Illinois, USA. A severe drought
in 1965 was devastating to the farmers in Central Illinois. In this same year a
prototype of a traveling sprinkler created by Bart Nelson of the L.R. Nelson
Co. in Peoria, Illinois, was demonstrated on the Glen Strube farm near
Easton, Illinois.
In partnership with Deane Behrends; Fred completed a new prototype of a
traveling sprinkler that was considerably different from the Nelson device.
Ten units were sold that year. Then in 1967 a decision was made to create a
new company and that is when Ag-Rain, Inc. was formed. The name
“Water-Winch” was registered at the same time as a trademark.
And the rest is history.
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Cardboard Computers
Cla-Val Company
1971
Miller & Poston Mfg.
Hastings - Tex Flow
1970
1969
Did you know?
The slide rule is a mechanical analog computer. The first basic slide
rule was invented in 1630 by William Oughtred of Cambridge,
England. The one that we recognize today was created in 1859 by
French artillery lieutenant Amedee Mannheim.
Nelson Irrigation
1970
Agricultural Products
1991
Answer on Page 7
Rain Bird
1975
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Irrigation Contractor
Middletown Sprinkler Company
A Brief History of Middletown Sprinkler Company
Bob Dobson founded Middletown Sprinkler Co. in 1968 and currently serves as its
president. His wife Judy has been the office manager of Middletown Sprinkler for
the past 32 years and his son Rob serves as vice president of the company. His
daughters Kelly and Colleen, along with grandsons Henry and Jack, make up the
rest of the Dobson family.
Bob was raised in Middletown, New Jersey, USA where his family has lived for the
past 157 years. He went to high school there and then to a local college on a math
scholarship.
Bob is an IA Certified Irrigation Designer for residential, commercial, and golf
course irrigation systems and an IA Certified Irrigation Contractor.
Bob currently serves as President of the Irrigation Association. He is a recipient of
the IA’s Industry Achievement Award, the Irrigation Association of New Jersey’s
Lifetime Achievement Award, and was recognized by the EPA with the WaterSense
Excellence Award. A true pioneer in irrigation contracting, thanks Bob.
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Australian Irrigation
Webb Industries
1954
Coleambally
Water Tower
Dethridge Wheel
The Chaffey Trail
Did you know?
The history of Australian
irrigation started with the
Goulburn Weir in 1877. It’s a
rich and fascinating history.
Irrigation Record
1916
Contact Irrigation Australia.
www.irrigation.org.au/
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Irrigation Distributor - Irrigation-Mart
“Big results often begin
with small thoughts.”
- Dr. Jackie Robbins
In the 1970’s, Dr. Jackie Robbins, an Agricultural Engineering professor at Louisiana Tech
University, noticed his students and faculty were having difficulty finding micro irrigation
products they needed for their studies and projects. To make the needed products readily
available, Dr. Robbins became an irrigation dealer. Soon others became aware of the availability of the products, and he began selling these products from his home in Ruston, Louisiana, USA. Little did he suspect that he had paved the way for his and his family’s future.
The business was incorporated as Robbins Association/Irrigation-Mart, Inc. in 1989, as Dr.
Robbins prepared to retire from his career at Louisiana Tech. It was at this point that Irrigation-Mart really began to grow.
As of January 2013, the company celebrated 35 years of being a “closely-held” family business with the Robbins family fully involved in the day-to-day operations of the business.
Irrigation-Mart has approximately 30 well-trained employees, including certified irrigation
designers, agronomists, landscape horticulturalists, and registered professional engineers.
Irrigation-Mart focuses mainly on agricultural and forestry irrigation (more in horticultural
than agronomic sectors). They stock irrigation and related products from over 200 manufacturers in their 2-acre warehouse, servicing over 10,000 entities/clients/customers worldwide annually.
Irrigation-Mart’s full-service staff designs and supplies the materials for projects in the
vegetable, fruit, nursery, landscape and forestry industries. At times they help assemble
and/or supervise installation of these materials. They pride themselves on being able to advise the user not only on what products to use but also on the proper methods of monitoring and operating in order to obtain desired benefits/results. Their main strength comes
from their in-depth understanding or “SAVVY” of irrigation and related technologies.
Irrigation-Mart, 200 South Service Rd. East, Ruston, Louisiana, USA 71270
Phone: 800-SAY-RAIN Fax: 318-255-7572
www.irrigation-mart.com
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Sprinkler Irrigation / Irrigation - Six Editions from 1955 to Present
The Editors Over The Years
First Edition - April 1955
1. Allan W. McCulloch - Chairman, SIA Technical Committee
2. John F. Schrunk - Chairman, SIA Education Committee
Second Edition - September 1959
1. Guy O. Woodward - Editor
Third Edition - September 1969
1.
2.
3.
4.
Claude H. Pair - Editor-in-Chief
Walter W. Hinz - Extension Agricultural Engineer
Crawford Reid - Technical Consultant
Kenneth R. Frost - Professor of Agricultural Engineering
Fourth Edition - November 1975
1.
2.
3.
4.
Claude H. Pair - Editor-in-Chief
Walter W. Hinz - Extension Agricultural Engineer
Crawford Reid - Technical Consultant
Kenneth R. Frost - Professor of Agricultural Engineering
Fifth Edition - May 1983
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Claude H. Pair - Editor-in-Chief
Walter W. Hinz - Extension Agricultural Engineer
Kenneth R. Frost - Professor of Agricultural Engineering
Ronald E. Sneed - Extension Biological & Agricultural Engineering Specialist
Thomas J. Schiltz - T.J.S. & Associates
Sixth Edition - 2011
1.
2.
3.
4.
Robert (Bob) Rynk - Editor
Allen (Al) R. Dedrick - Editor
LaVerne E. Stetson - Editor
Brent Q. Mecham - Editor
The Contributors Over The Years
When you read any edition, you have the most current
information possible at the time of publication. For the
last 58 years, all six editions could not have been possible
without the time and effort of volunteer members of the
SIA and IA. Thank you to all of the volunteers over the
years for your dedication to our industry.
Residential Sprinkler
Sept. 10,1901
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Pioneer in Irrigation - Claude Laval
A Brief Biography of Claude Laval
Claude Laval, who was born in Fresno, California, USA is one of the most accomplished people in today's business world. Claude is married, has two children and
his eldest daughter currently runs the company he created.
Claude founded the Claude Laval Corporation and LAKOS Separators and Filtration
Systems. For more than 30 years the Fresno-based companies have provided innovative and adaptable solutions for specific filtration issues. LAKOS is a world leader in
the water filtration industry.
Claude also enjoys being involved with community affairs and organizations and his
daughters have followed his example. He loves to play tennis and is passionate about
work.
His support for and advice to Fresno State on water and irrigation issues over the
years was recognized by the naming of the Claude Laval Water and Energy Technology Incubator at California State University, Fresno. Operating in conjunction with
Fresno State’s International Center for Water Technology, the WET Lab is a vital resource for innovative local entrepreneurs looking to establish or expand their business in water and energy technology and help stimulate the regional economy.
Claude Laval is a pioneer to the irrigation industry and people around the world. Let
him know how much you appreciate his hard work and dedication sometime. Thank
you for all that you have done and continue to do.
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Museum Mystery Page - Answers to Spring 2013 Issue
1
2
3
5
6
4
7
8
9
10 Mysteries of the Museum.
10
1. Hoover Dam in 1935 2. Center Pivot 3. Kifco Turbine Motor Drive
4. Original Rain Bird Impact 5. Buckner Impact - 1939
6. Mr. Irv Tank - Rain Aid Controller 7. 1967 SIA Convention in
Scottsdale, AZ 8. Dayton Irrigation Sprinkler -1913 9. Hadden Sprinkler
10. Mr. John Morgan
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Irrigation Design
Hand Drafting Tools
Lettering By Hand
PRICELESS
Thompson Sprinkling Systems
1940
Did you know?
The oldest drafting tool that has been discovered is a
drawing board with a technical plan for a temple in Lagash,
Babylon dating from 3,000 BCE.
In 1982, Autodesk created the program Automated Computer
Aided Design (AutoCAD) which transformed the process of
drafting by making it accessible to more people.
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The Irrigation Chronicle Crossword Puzzle
Go to the museum website for the answers.
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Irrigation History Museum Staff - 2006-2013
Glenn Bowlin - California - Chair
Jim Barrett - New Jersey
Andrew Bolt - California
Dan Clawson - California
Al Dedrick - Arizona *
Marty Dickson - California
Bob Dobson - New Jersey
Don Franklin - California
Tom Kimmell - North Carolina
Scott Knowles - Ohio
Fred Kruse - Illinois
Kurt Maloney - California
John Moore - Nevada
John Morgan - Idaho
Ed Norum - California
Dave Davis - California - Vice Chair
Kate Norum - California
Dave Pagano - California
Tom Plumblee - South Carolina
Chuck Pote - California
Dave Powell - Arizona
Jackie Robbins - Louisiana
Chet Sarsfield - California
Ron Sneed - North Carolina
LaVerne Stetson - Nebraska
Ed Underhill - California
Hal Werner - South Dakota
Bill Zingg - California
David Zoldoske - California
* Deceased
Irrigation History Museum Sponsors
Monthly sponsorships are available on the Irrigation Museum website.
Contact any Irrigation History Museum staff member for more information at
www.irrigationmuseum.org